Country Devon Days...Social distancing...

How are we all coping?...Still quite a surreal situation, but getting used to this new routine...

The weather has helped me immensely it is so very beautiful here in Devon...Blue skies and glorious Sunshine...Also My partner who has been a 'key worker' through out this Covid-19 outbreak and working full time and long evening shifts too had a weeks holiday ((A well earned rest!))...It was wonderful to have him home and safely with us...We made the most of Country walks, mainly local to us...

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Its been wonderful finding New hidden away places to explore and less 'peopley' places for Social distancing. It shocks me how many people just flock to the park when there is so many other walks on our doorstep. I've avoided the parks all together here. Obviously ,I totally understand if you are in a city and the park is the only green space you have...but here there's many other places than crowding in the park.

I adore this part of our walk down by the river tamar...There is a wonderful old railway carriage made into a holiday cottage...not so much used by the looks of things these days...I'd love one as an art studio! All those windows to an artist would be bliss!... Always reminds me of Elspeth Thompson a British author and journalist...She wrote a gardening section for The guardian Newspaper too...How I first knew of her was many years ago while first blogging when my daughter was a young toddler, she wrote a blog too...sadly she passed away...But she was in the process of making a beautiful home and garden out of an old railway carriage home...I often think of her blog...It was a great comfort to me when I was living on my own.

'The Honesty box'...Sweet Williams...Along the Tamar River.

wild flowers from the local meadows...

I think how lucky I am most days to have a garden...I lived a long time in a ground floor flat with just a tiny courtyard with a wall to look at...So I'm so lucky the last four years to have a hill top garden...and to live in a Country Market town with Dartmoor as my neighbour...Its been like a sanctuary when days have felt awfully worrying and stressy...its relaxed my anxious mind and soothed my soul...Ive watched the blackbirds and robins nesting and return of the swifts and swallows swooping around the Hill top.

Home schooling has been rather more relaxed these last two weeks...Ive felt she needed a break.

We've been more creative and exercising with plenty of walking and looking at nature...

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May days and lots of Cow parsley froffing over into the lanes ...My favourite time of year!

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Thankful for the glorious blue Devon skies...

One day while gardening I was tackling the overgrown ivy on the old walled garden part of our hill top garden and found the most amazing nest...Made with moss and twigs but also the blackbirds had recycled some of my recycling by adding old pieces of lace and trims and some ribbon and old paper art into the woven nest...It made me want to write a story all about it, But i added a fairy character too...

Dartmoor wild ponies...

An illustration of a foxy with the foxgloves...

The Foxgloves are all starting to bloom down here in Devon...I adore seeing them growing out of the country lanes and wild meadows...And all the wild daisies too!...Such a wonderful Month May is.

One truly wonderful walk we found a Mole on the field foot path near the river...

Sadly passed...But so beautiful to look at...After asking my father who worked many years with the wildlife trust explained that moles do have a short life and he remembered finding quite a few on the nature reserves.

Their black velvety fur and hands almost like human hands...Just so beautiful. My daughter was fascinated.

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Mental health: My gardens helping me immensely...

On the other days this month I've been walking and gardening...I've planted so many seedling over the last months and my mixed salad and cosmos have over taken everything else...My tomatoes seedlings I planted later this year and are inside on the Sunny window sill to bring them out a bit more...
We've enjoyed a lot of chicken ceaser salads...

Take care of yourselves until next time,

x    K a z z y   x

Easter in isolation....

Hello out there in the land of 'odd' and 'Surreal'...Hope you are all keeping well and coping?...

Well, since I last blogged the Covid-19 alert has completely turned daily life into quite a 'surreal' situation.

getting to grips with New rules on 'Self isolation, social distancing'...The first week I felt completely 'Lost', anxious and teary. But the last week I've slowly got used to this New routine.

The way to get myself through I have focused heavily on Simple pleasures, Spring joys and being with my loved ones...I've learnt to switch the News headlines off and keep myself motivated on the things that make me happy...'Simple, Happy Joys'...Spring has Sprung and with that has made my daily life at the moment so much easier to bare....

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Keeping to the social distancing rules we've managed to find some secret and less 'peopley' places to walk around on the outskirts of our little market town. We also have a Hill top garden and more so now than ever I so appreciate this space of ours...I've been planting lots of seedlings...

Sophia has been doing home schooling and the school send lots of Homework through on line and we seem to be finding this quite a gentle and easy process at the moment...Sophia is so much more organised than I ever was at School...I'm actually really proud of how she's coping with it all. As i'm sure at times this must all be quite 'surreal' and 'odd' not being able to meet up with friends...At least they do have social media.

So, I've tried to make Easter as Normal as 'Normal' can be right now...and we've had lots of phone calls with relations we usually spend time with over the Easter period..lovely to hear their voices, their laughter.

Its been hard with my dad isolated on his own...but I phone him every day, so glad I spent quality time down there with him just before the outbreak.

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Decorating the Home for Easter and Spring Cleaning has helped me keep positive and busy..

beauty in the bluebells...primroses, wild garlic flowers...All the jewels of Spring in the U.K.

seeing the first Apple blossoms...Such a lovely sight in the garden.

Wonderful being out in the woodlands and down by the river bank

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keeping my mind busy with fairytale, garden inspired drawings...

My teeny tiny creative space...where the fairies keep me company below the attic beams...

I love these words...

Easter display...

My Country Living Magazine, escapism from this mad world...and a delicious hot cross bun helps too! yum!!

picking a posy from the garden...

Finding hidden gems...Love that we've been able to explore meadow lands and secret paths mainly over grown and unused...wild and free.

I love the smell of wild garlic in the woodlands in Spring time...

My shadow looking onto the meadow from the secret overgrown woodland path...

I pass this beautiful house often...

beautiful cottages, magnolia trees, cherry blossoms and bluebells...Love being down by the river bank.

Bunny slippers!...well, it is Easter after all.

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Beautiful Sky over our little market town on Easter Sunday...

Another really positive thing about this situation is hearing lovely stories on the radio about 'people coming together' helping the elderly and vulnerable with shopping, and in true british spirit of people 'clapping' at certain times in the evening with neighbours in their streets for the Amazing, heroic, life saving, hard working NHS staff and all the key workers keeping the u.k going...I was out there on my hilly road banging a saucepan (making as much noise as possible!) and stevie and sophs were clapping their hands...All together saying 'Thank you'...It made me really emotional...I do love it when people show kindness and care. The sound of hands clapping and cheers in the distance echoed around our little Market town, so moving.

Take care of yourselves...and keep well,

x     K a z z y     x

                                          

...Waiting for Spring

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Oh' deary, deary me...The weather has just felt like constant stormy rain clouds...

So many times I have come to type up a blog post and just given up...Maybe it has been my mood?, But the rain for constant days in a row gets you down after a while...I long for some good proper Sunshine.

Yes! we've had a few Mornings or an evening here and there between rain clouds where the Sun has made an appearance But not for long...Blink and you would have quite honestly missed it!.

So yes! I'm waiting for Spring!!.
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I think my recent illustrations/art work have reflected my mood for Spring!...

I found some wonderful Vintage illustrations on Pinterest...It inspired some Spring Girl Drawings...

I also found while looking up Flower Fairies these Dutch ornaments ~ I'm not sure who they are by?

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But they are wonderful!!...(if you have any info let me know)

Also I have added these Prints and some other New ones into my shop (Link in left hand sidebar)

Mr Foxy and Snowdrops...

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I rescued my hill top garden Daffodils from hale stones the other day...
A Lovely Apple and Cinnamon Crumble to warm up your belly on a Cold February Afternoon...

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Brightening up my Shelfie...

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wild Hyacinth below...

The view from my Hill top Cottage Garden...

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We've had a few walks this month including Dartington hall estate gardens, Buckfastleigh Abbey and gardens, Kit Hill in Cornwall, Totnes Market town and around our local Market town too along the canals.

I'm running a little Giveaway on my instagram feed....To win this New print...

All you have to do is tell me about a book you loved as a child and I'll pick a winner in a few days time.
**** UPDATED**** winner has been picked, Giveaway closed...

Its the kind of weather that makes you hibernate like a little mouse, snuggle up in a warm blanket and keep close to the fire...Ive still got all my twinkling lights out and around the fireplace and dresser top in the kitchen...I've been decorating the mantel with Spring blooms...To cheer me up!.

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We enjoyed Pancake day, Shrove Tuesday...

The felties having a playful time on the shelfie...♥

Enjoying cakes at the Charity sale in my local Market town....so pretty!!!!

I do Hope March Brings Sunshine and warmth...

x    K a z z y   x